Our greeting to Canada was mounds of snow and a reasonable temperature until Wednesday when the morning temperature was about 60 degrees celsius colder than what we were used to in Manila. Oh well that's Canada, eh!...but it did feel good to be home.

With this we will sign off on this blog for now. Our future in the Philippines isn't clear but it is our hope to return. We'll keep you posted with future notes.

...and so on Jan 12 our stay in the Philippines came to a close with flight from Manila to Hong Kong and then direct to Toronto by 6pm that evening. Although flying at about 1000 km/hr, it was the 13 hour time difference that put us into Toronto on the same afternoon that we left Manila.

Another meeting was with Congressman of the 2nd district in Isabela, Edwin Uy who already has a large egg layer operation (15,000 dozen/day) as well as a beef operation of carabao and brahman animals. It is his intent to also showcase the potential of dairy operations in Isabela. His wife, a medical doctor, has chosen to dedicate her life to farming and researching alternative agricultural practices.

Our short stay in Manila did allow us to connect with some individuals from Isabela who are interested in starting a dairy farm in their home province. The wife of Congressman Albano, Mylene had expressed interest in dairy on previous occasions. It was the Albano's who had hosted us on our first visit to the Philippines.

On January 2nd we returned to Manila to await our flight back to Canada. Early on we were able to move our flight to the 12th from January 20 while we stayed in a small condo in Quezon City, part of Metro Manila. This is a partial (about 1/2) view of Metro Manila with Quezon City off to the upper right. Metro Manila is home to about 16 million people. We were treated to breakfast with Congressman Uy and family at this health resort about 800 metres above the Manila landscape. At the skyline is Manila Bay.

The specific gravity of fresh pool water causes me to sink at least 10 inches deeper than the sea water. Cathy and our friend Girlie from Manila have a good laugh about my sinkability but starting the New Year swimming still beats shovelling snow which we anticipate in about 3 weeks but not with the same enthusiasm!

Of course we can't forget the fire works on New Year's eve. It literally sounds like a war zone, nearby and everywhere in the distance. Mostly extra loud fire crackers, a few rockets like this one and the occasional colourful star bursts. Because of the warm temperature everyone is out on the streets...just thousands of people with the loudest music possible dancing and having the greatest time. It's seems strange to celebrate without snow but in this case it was great celebrating without frozen feet.

Some shenanigans to wrap up the old year. Buco juice comes from young coconuts. They chop off the top outer skin leaving just the inner soft coconut meat which you puncture with a straw. It's a very tasty drink especially if it has been chilled.

At Mylene's for a family dinner. Two of her children are studying culinary arts...the menu was awesome!

This is the home of our new friend Mylene Evangelista and the SUV she loaned us for almost two weeks over the holidays while she spent a family holiday in Manila. The home is still a work in progress. The roof is actually a full patio.

Entertaining our friends Doug and Marla on an evening by the Sea.

...and now it's time for a refreshing swim in the warm, salty Carmotes Sea behind our resort. Look Mom, no hands!

The brown patches are actually culivated fields. On these steep slopes I have enquired before regarding erosion but they say it's not a big problem...I can't imagine but not only in Cebu but also in Northern Luzon where we are more familiar many slopes are cultivated but some are also terraced. I have to assume that the terraces were created to solve a problem...

If you look closely roads appear non-existent but several homes are visible accessable only by walking trails or two wheeled tracks.

Now back to our holiday in Cebu...this was on our tour of the Island. The centre of the island is quite rugged and moderately mountainous terrain. It is suprising how many people live even on these slopes...along the road but also you can see homes and shantys all through the hills.

Just to show you that the Exit Conference did happen, here is the one picture that I have so far been able to source. It seems a number of our pictures have been buried in Windows Media Player and I can't seem to import them into Picasa...help anyone!!

We did have a good exit leaving behind a number recommendations to be followed up; a fresh milk feeding program, appointment of a Provincial Dairy Production Specialist, creation of a Provincial Demo Dairy farm, and policies for potential dairy farm entrepreneurs.

We have had a few follow-up requests from existing farmers and land owners showing interest in a dairy future. As one farmer cattle raiser suggested, "dairy is a shining star that must be developed for the benefit of all Filipinos".
I couldn't agree more and hope that in the not to distant future there will be bright evidence of that 'shining star'.